Green politics across Europe received a boost as a new poll indicated that the German Greens have overtaken the Social Democrats as Germany’s largest opposition party. The figures from the independent poll put the party at 28%, and mean that if a national election were held today Germany would likely have its first Green Chancellor.
Penny Kemp, Environment spokesperson for the Green Party of England and Wales said:
"These polls in Germany show people en masse are looking to the Greens as a real alternative. In England too, Greens are the real opposition to the tired and discredited policies we see today. Polls here show that people are desperately concerned with the public spending cuts and the threatened job losses.
"Greens have put forward plans to ensure that the annual £42 billion of tax avoidance is collected, a bankers windfall tax is put in place, and that jobs are created in the renewable energy sector and energy conservation. These jobs would ensure future energy security for Britain. We can do this without nuclear power, which cannot be relied upon, as recent events have shown."
Given the expression of similar concerns in Britain as elsewhere on the continent, and broad disapproval of coalition cuts, Greens are anticipating a strong result in the upcoming local elections.